The one race you cannot afford to miss on Thursday as Latrobe returns

6.55 Leopardstown
GRENKE Finance Ballyroan Stakes | 1m4f | Group 3 | 3yo+ | RTV

Why is it interesting?

Last year's Irish Derby hero Latrobe seeks his first success since that famous Curragh triumph.

The son of Camelot has only one other win from 13 starts on his CV, a Curragh maiden, but this is a gilt-edged opportunity to add to that tally as he is officially rated 5lb better than anything else in the line.

Latrobe's arrives with a mark of 112 and on the back of a cracking effort in defeat in the Group 2 Curragh Cup, where he only went down by a neck to Twilight Payment.

Among Latrobe's five rivals is the unbeaten Broad Street who has looked exciting when winning at Navan and Gowran, while Guaranteed won the Listed Silver Stakes at the Curragh in June which has seen his rating rise to 107.

The sextet is completed by Blenheim Palace, last seen finishing down the field in the Belmont Derby, Giuseppe Garibaldi and Massif Central.

What the stats say

Rely on Dermot Weld or Aidan O'Brien as they have won nine of the last ten runnings between them.

Weld, who sent out Eziyra to land the spoils last year, was also successful with Profound Beauty in 2009 and 2010 as well as Sense Of Purpose (2011) and Galileo's Choice (2012).

Ernest Hemingway (2013), Eye Of The Storm (2014), Fields Of Athenry (2015) and Spanish Steps (2017) were the four winners to have hailed from Ballydoyle in the last decade.

The biggest priced winner in the last decade was 6-1 shot Sense Of Purpose in 2011, while six favourites have scored in the last ten years.

Three-year-olds have come out on top in three of the last four runnings.

What the trainers say

Dermot Weld, trainer of Broad Street
This has been a lucky race for us over the years and it comes at a nice time of the year. Broad Street is a very nice colt who has won both his starts so far and this seemed the logical place to come after he won at Gowran. It is a big step up for him but I hope he can represent us well.

Broad Street: steps up in grade after two wins from as many startsCredit: Patrick McCann

John Oxx, trainer of Giuseppe Garibaldi
He had a bit of a holiday after he came back from Qatar so he probably needed the run at Down Royal to freshen him up a bit. I would imagine you will see an improved showing from him but there are a few horses who are rated significantly higher than him.

Joseph O'Brien, trainer of Latrobe
He is in good shape at home. This race has been the plan for him since his last start at the Curragh and we are hoping for a good run from him.

Michael Halford, trainer of Massif Central
He looks to have it all to do on ratings but he likes small fields and is working well so we said we would let him take his chance.

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